- Featured Article
- Recent Articles
- Featured Job
Strong Job Sectors during a Weak Economy
Pay cuts and lay-offs have become common stories these days. However, there are some sectors where job openings are growing and the pay is still rising. According to the recent study conducted by PayScale, healthcare job openings topped the list.
Growing healthcare job openings should not come as a surprise, since health care is essential in any community. People won’t stop getting sick when the economy is poor. In fact, the added stress levels during a recession can increase the likelihood of people getting sick. In addition, the aging population also means that more people will be demanding healthcare services in the coming years.
Many healthcare job openings require very specific education. Thankfully, not all healthcare job openings require edu
Read more...
Trade School Education for the Quick Transition
The tough economy is making it difficult for many recently unemployed workers to get work. Recent statistics show that more job-hunters are taking six months or more to find a new employment. Now, many job seekers are making career switches into more stable industries to avoid the long wait.
In many cases, switching to a new career means going back to school. For some people who need to find work immediately, taking traditional degree programs could be a problem.
Fortunately, there are ways to learn new skills without taking too much time off. The quickest option is “trade school education” — vocational or technical training programs focused on specific skills.
Quality issue
Although success is relative to the field of expertise, one of the leading vocational and technical institutions is Kaplan University, which boasts an 82% workforce placement rate when their students finish the program. If quality is the concern, vocational and technical institutions are able to provide quality education.
Money concerns
Trade education is also available in most community colleges. Community colleges have the resources to create specific training programs that will answer growing demands in the workplace, as they are usually the first institutions that receive government stimulus funding.
People who have a tight budget should never underestimate the value of vocational or technical training programs in community colleges.
Alternative option
Of course, some fields really require at least a bachelor’s degree to qualify. The good news is that more colleges and universities are providing a three-year option to earn your bachelor’s degree. This option will help you save time and tuition money.
Register now for more career advice and other information on career training programs and job openings available to you.
Are Three Year Degrees the Future of Education?
No one can deny that higher education is important. Most employers these days require applicants to have at least a bachelor’s degree. A lack of education credentials could easily cost you potential employment.
However, higher education is very expensive with tuition costs rising each year. The financial demands of higher education can be too much for struggling families who live day-to-day. Many students end up burying themselves in debt just to finish their degree programs.
Restructuring education programs to become more affordable
An increasing number of colleges have restructured their education degree programs to make them more affordable. The result is the "three-year degree" option.
Hartwick College in upstate New York is one of the growing number schools offering three-year degree programs. With three-year courses, students will be able to save as much as $43,000, and that can help them minimize their student debt. Also, earning their degree in just three years will allow them to enter the workforce much sooner, helping them establish their financial stability earlier.
Fitting the course in three years
The current academic school year is very similar to the schedule followed before the American Revolution. At the time, America was a nation of farmers wherein students helped their parents during summer. The fall-to-spring academic year was perfect for this practice.
But considering today’s society, summer breaks no longer make sense. Colleges and universities remain idle through the summer, and yet they consume energy, require maintenance and generate debt-service costs. All of these are major contributors to high tuition and fees.
Three-year degrees allow for a more efficient use of the academic year, and can ultimately cut down costs for both the student and the school.
Not a new idea
The idea of three-year degrees isn’t new. Judson College in Alabama has been offering the three-year option for their students for 40 years now. Bates College in Maine and Ball State University in Indiana also provide similar three-year option programs.
Considering the practical benefits of three-year degrees, it’s very possible that the demand for three-year degrees will increase dramatically.
Register now for more career advice and other information on career training programs and job openings available to you.